The Young Warrior 269 



allowing another species of fish larger than themselves, 

 and therefore a possible enemy, to come too near. 

 Already they have taken to that semi-independent 

 mode of life which is the preparation for their full- 

 grown loneliness — they do not associate with one 

 another closely, although there are usually a goodly 

 company of them within communicating distance of 

 each other. Henceforward their progress towards 

 maturity is rapid. Each day sees them essaying 

 some new feat of endurance, some fresh act of aggression 

 towards other fish, which gains for them, besides 

 accelerated growth, increasing confidence in their own 

 wonderful powers, such as nothing but the exercise 

 of those powers can give. 



It is now time to single out one splendid young 

 specimen from the flock. He is a yard in length, 

 exclusive of his sword, which protrudes from his upper 

 jaw about nine inches. Every fibre of his comely 

 body is surcharged with nervous energy — to watch 

 him balanced in the still blue, every fin extended but 

 without a suspicion of movement, even of life, save 

 in the glare of the brilliant eyes or the glowing hues 

 of the body, is to gain a great idea of latent power. 

 No ancient warrior was ever uplifted with haughtier 

 pride in his battle plumes than Xiphias in his magnifi- 

 cent dorsal-fin, which stands erect, blazing with 

 brightest blue, from his head to his tail. It will be 

 noticed that now he has entirely forsaken, as disdaining 

 it, the shelter of intricate reefs, no longer does he 

 creep warily, at several fathoms' depth, from one point 

 of refuge to another. No, at last he has come out in 

 the open prepared to assert his position before all 

 his world, impelled thereto by an innate force, of which 

 he knows nothing save its effect upon him. 



As he lies there apparently immobile, there is 



